The Stats Don't Lie: Errors aplenty in ugly draw

Cory Jane fails to hold the ball in one of the All Blacks' nine knock-ons. Photo / Getty Images

Had Dan Carter's last minute drop goal attempt gone over it would have been the All Blacks' 100th victory over Australia. This was just the sixth time a match played between the two sides has ended in a draw, and it was the first time in 10 years that a try hasn't been scored.

Not a stellar night for the All Blacks' lineout, winning just three of their seven throws. The All Blacks won two of Keven Mealamu's four throws and just one of Andrew Hore's three throws, with Sam Whitelock failing to win any of the three balls thrown to him.

The Wallabies' lineout wasn't any better, losing four of their ten throws. Richie McCaw was the recipient of two Australian over-throws, while Whitelock nearly stole one throw off Scott Higginbotham but knocked it on in the process.

The All Blacks made 125 tackles and 25 assists in this match, and had to make 48 of those tackles in the opening 20 minutes of the game. Whitelock was the top tackler for the All Blacks with 16 tackles and three assists, followed by Tony Woodcock with 13 tackles and two assists, and Kieran Read with 12 tackles and three assists.

Missed tackles didn't prove too costly for the All Blacks with just 14 in total (Carter and McCaw missed two each), while the Wallabies missed 15 tackles.

McCaw was again top for arrivals in the first three to the breakdown - his 29 arrivals were almost twice as many as for any other All Black this week, with Mealamu and Woodcock the next best with 15 arrivals each.

Andrew Hore got stuck into his work when he was subbed on in the 56th minute, with his 12 break down arrivals and 11 tackles ranking him in the top five All Blacks for workrate at the ball in this test match.

The All Blacks made the only three clean linebreaks of the test to Hosea Gear, Cory Jane and Ben Smith, but failed to turn these into tries. Gear made the most gain in ground with a total of 61 metres for his linebreak.

Liam Messam was again the top ball carrier for the All Blacks, with a total of six for 61 metres gained. Brodie Retallick made five carries for 12 metres, while Ma'a Nonu made the most carries for the backs with five runs for a gain of 30 metres.

Handling errors were high for both sides with nine knock-ons and two forward passes by the All Blacks, while the Wallabies made 11 knock-ons and two forward passes.

The Wallabies won the battle of the breakdown, particularly in the second half where they counter-rucked the All Blacks twice, won a tackle turnover and held the ball up in a maul. The All Blacks managed just two tackle turnover wins to McCaw and Kieran Read in the first half, plus won a scrum feed from a collapsed Australian maul in the second half.

The penalty count was high, with 11 penalties conceded by the All Blacks and 14 by the Wallabies. Of those 25 penalties, 17 came at the breakdown with eight conceded by the All Blacks and nine by the Wallabies.

The All Black front rowers of Woodcock, Mealamu and Owen Franks were responsible for all but two of their team's eight breakdown penalties, while Woockcock and Charlie Faumuina also conceded a scrum penalty each.

Mealamu became just the third player behind McCaw and Mils Muliaina to play 100 tests for New Zealand. He has played against Australia on 27 occasions, for 20 wins, six losses and this draw.

Piri Weepu equalled Springbok Ollie Le Roux's record for most test appearances off the bench (43) when he came on in the 60th minute.